Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman said the amendments had been developed following significant consultation with a range of firearms policy stakeholders.

“Ongoing engagement with stakeholders has ensured the Territory continues to have robust firearms laws to protect the people of Canberra,” Mr Gentleman said.

“The Government is serious about firearm safety, but understands the importance of developing laws that firearms users can reasonably comply with.”

The changes to storage requirements apply to category A and B licence holders who possess more than 10 firearms and will require these licensees to store their weapons in a metal, brick or concrete safe.

“This amendment to storage requirements will ensure powerful firearms located in the ACT are stored safely,” Mr Gentleman said.

“Licensees affected by this change will have six months to make arrangements to comply with this new regulation once the Bill is notified.”

The Bill also made technical amendments to provisions in the Firearms Act which relate to firearms instructors.

The Firearms Act only authorises a person to possess and use firearms for which they are licensed. In the case of firearms instructors, the law has had the unintended effect of prohibiting an instructor from legally using a firearm belonging to another person. Therefore, prior to these amendments, an instructor could not pick up a student’s firearm to demonstrate how to use the firearm properly and safely.